Cities and urbanized areas feature extensive networks of public transportation systems including buses operating on fixed routes, elevated trains, subways, regular rail systems, and dial-a-ride vans. However, many people are dissatisfied with public transportation because none of the available options present an efficient solution to their transportation needs. Although public transit is usually less expensive than using a personal automobile, the inefficiencies associated with adhering to a rigid schedule, traveling to an inconveniently located station, and waiting for long periods of time to board an overcrowded transportation vehicle, prevent many potential users from considering public transit as a viable option. For example, buses suffer from the limitation of operating on the same roads and highways that are used by individual automobiles, making it difficult or impossible for a bus to adhere to a fixed, dependable schedule during typical rush hour conditions. In some cities, passenger trains and freight trains must share the same set of rails, oftentimes resulting in unanticipated delays.
In areas of low to medium population density, train stations and bus stops are often widely spaced and may not be conveniently accessed by all potential users. Although dial-a-ride vans are equipped to pick up and drop off riders at customer-specified locations, these vans must be prearranged in advance on an as-available basis and are only intended for the occasional trip, not for regular daily use. Coordinating transfers between various vehicles or modes of transportation, especially where the user is changing between vehicles operated by different transit operators, is another problem.
From the standpoint of customers and users, one potential solution for addressing dissatisfaction with public transportation is to provide real-time feedback regarding the estimated arrival times of the vehicles in the network and their current locations within an urban area. For example, infrared, radio-frequency, or Bluetooth communication links are employed in some urban areas to update digital display panels at train stations or bus stops. These display panels indicate the schedules, arrival times, and delays associated with each of a plurality of transportation routes.
Other potential solutions may address dissatisfaction with public transportation from the perspective of a centralized operational control center. The quality of services provided to users may be enhanced by collecting data from transit operators and transit vehicles over a period of time. An algorithm is applied to the collected data to determine routes that, for the greatest number of users, will minimize fares, travel times, travel distance, or the number of required transfers. The data may be collected and analyzed using route and stop information for the network, a driver and vehicle availability list, and information gathered by on-board vehicle equipment. This information may be gathered, for example, using a global positioning (GPS) locator, an idle monitoring system, and a vehicle status monitor. The collected data may pertain to the lengths and locations of delays, as well as variations in arrival times from day to day.
Although various solutions have been proposed for improving public transportation, user dissatisfaction remains a significant problem. Moreover, as the population of cities and urban areas increases, it is expected that the number of passengers and transit vehicles on the public transportation network will increase beyond current levels. Over time, the efficiency of the transportation network will degrade if the elements of the network are not properly optimized, thereby leading to further user dissatisfaction. Moreover, with the current emphasis on encouraging public transportation as a means for reducing pollution and decreasing our dependence on fossil fuel, the need to optimize transportation networks is greater now than ever before.